


Sticks and Stones

by Sternenstaub



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Geralt has it bad for a certain bard, M/M, No Beta, Pining, Pining Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Soft Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Soft Jaskier | Dandelion, Spirits, geralt is a nerd, nature spirits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:40:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27209032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sternenstaub/pseuds/Sternenstaub
Summary: Geralt and Jaskier stumble upon some very rare forest spirits. Fluff ensues.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 18
Kudos: 112
Collections: The Witcher Flash Fic Challenge #009





	Sticks and Stones

"Geralt? Geralt! What-what are those?!" Jaskier screeched, for a lack of a better word for the sound he was making, the bard's voice jumping through several octaves, cutting through the quiet of the forest. Geralt groaned, ears ringing, and walked to him, quite sure nothing big enough to be an actual danger had gotten close enough to them without his notice. What could have possibly shocked this strange human so much, he wondered. This human who had seen a witcher and decided to tag along, who had gotten several songs out of this adventure in the last years but still showed no sign of wanting to settle down, who touched him when he was full of monster blood and as feral looking as people said witchers to be as if it was normal. How was it possible that this very human still gagged at the sight of a skinned rabbit or a small creature he had not yet encountered. Geralt wondered if it was another spider the bard had found. 

Jaskier crouched in front of a big tree, the trunk was broader than a wagon and it's roots older than most towns on this continent, and looked at it's foot. There, between the weeds and leaves sat several tiny beings, their bodies looked almost human, if a human was no taller than a hand and had heads of animals or plants. One looked like it was wearing a racoon head, the next looked a lot like a pumpkin, some wore nuts or berries. Well, they didn't wear them, they were them. 

Jaskier looked up at him with bright curious eyes and where Geralt had expected fright and hatred, the urge to squish these frankly unsettling beings that most humans had when they saw something they did not understand, instead he saw genuine excitement. The feeling he'd been burying deep in his soul started to raise its head. Blue eyes alight with mirth and full of questions looked up at him, a hand stretched out as if he wanted to touch them but was waiting for Geralt to tell him he wouldn't lose his fingers for it. At least one thing the bard had learned, Geralt thought before he crouched down next to him.

"They're forest spirits." he said in a low voice, not wanting to disturb them. It was hypnotic to watch the doll like creatures climb long grasses and the tree with a levity as if they didn't jump higher than their own body height every time, moving like they were puppets on a string, jerky and uncoordinated but not once did one fall. They had a beauty and elegance to them that was hard to explain, for they looked ugly and deeply disturbing, like stitched together experiments of a mad sorcerer, but the longer you looked the more they seemed like a part of nature. Sticks and leaves and dirt, mixed together and breathed to life. Not all their parts seemed to fit together and as different as they all looked, they moved with intent and purpose, you could watch them repair broken roots and scratched up bark. They cared for the tree as they knew it cared for them.

Geralt noticed they'd both been staring for some time at a group of eight spirits that worked on a piece of bark that must have been broken by a bear, a big chunk missing, the tree bleeding sap. The beings chittered from invisible mouths and puttered around and while nothing they did seemed to make sense, it was clearly visible that the wound was slowly closing. 

Jaskier breathed out and Geralt startled, having almost forgotten the human next to him. "Why did I never see them before? What do they do? Besides bandaging trees, I mean." he laughed quietly, as he did everything surprisingly quiet in this moment. The witcher could hear the marvel in his voice, which was melodious and smooth again.  
"They protect the forest." Geralt whispered back, well aware how rare it was to see them at work. 

Either the tree had been in actual peril or they did not care that a human approached them so openly, either way, they ignored the people so close to them. Jaskier watched Geralt with a tilt to his head, reminding him that this had not been the whole answer to his question. The witcher sighed and beckoned his bard some steps away, careful not to startle the tiny beings. They both sat down on the bedroll Jaskier had already laid out and Geralt tried to sort his memory, he was not exactly questioned often about monsters that were so very unthreatening, well, mostly unthreatening. But he felt himself easily fall back into the lessons with Vesemir, reciting what he had read so many years ago.

"They're stronger this close to the Brokilon." Geralt explained and Jaskier listened with rapt attention. Would he ever get used to someone looking at him like this, listening to him like every word mattered and was worth something? His chest felt tight. 

"Trees as old as this one have magic, sometimes that leads to these spirits being born. They all look different but have ultimately the same purpose, they help the tree and for that it grants them life. It's a symbiotic relationship." He felt a small smile tug at his face but buried it as soon as he noticed, of course Jaskier, attentive as ever about emotions, still saw it and smiled back. Geralt felt his face heat and was thankful he couldn't blush. How could this man fluster him so easily?  
"So they're not dangerous?" Jaskier asked, looking like he wanted to go back to them and touch them after all. Geralt grabbed his sleeve before he could even try to stand up, making sure not to touch any actual skin.  
He had accidentally startled too many humans and didn't want Jaskier to look at him with the same fearful expression. Logically he knew the bard wouldn't be afraid of a simple touch, wouldn't start thinking about how easy it'd be for Geralt to break his bones just because he held his arm in place, but the habit of a hundred years was not dispelled within a few months.

Blue eyes looked at him questioningly but the bard sat down again, making no move to put more space between their bodies, "Don't disturb them, they're working. They're not dangerous, unless you plan to burn the tree down, that might become rather uncomfortable rather fast for you." Jaskier huffed a laugh at that. "No arson next to big magical trees, got it." Geralt rolled his eyes, why did he think Jaskier would take this for the honor it was? Seeing so many spirits at work was incredibly rare.  
But the bard stayed put, sitting right next to Geralt, watching them from afar. They listened to the tiny chittering sounds the spirits made and watched their heads bobble on their bodies as if they weren't attached properly. Jaskier didn't move away from Geralt's hand or leg, knees touching. 

The night set in and when the spirits started to glow in an eerie green, Jaskier clapped his hands in delight, loudly exclaiming his surprise but stopped making noise very soon when suddenly dozen of tiny glowing heads stared in his direction out of unseeing eyes. He squeaked like a mouse and hid his head on Geralt's shoulder. The witcher felt a sudden affection bubble up in him at this sign of trust but he still laughed at Jaskier, who punched his shoulder lightly in retaliation but didn't scoot away.

The bard looked at the glowing beings for a few more moments before he turned his face around to Geralt, cheeks blushing in an adorable pink, "I know they're not dangerous, but would you mind terribly sleeping next to me tonight?" He knew he shouldn't agree, shouldn't allow this human to worm himself even closer into his heart but one look at those startling blue eyes watching the spirits uneasily and Geralt nodded before he realized it. 

They settled down with their bedrolls touching, bodies mere hands apart and Geralt knew he wouldn't sleep, couldn't allow himself to accidentally seek out that warmth and comfort he sometimes craved deep in his chest when a carefree smile was directed at him or a hand patted his shoulder reassuringly.  
The bard was many things he would prefer to live without. He was loud and bright and annoying, had no sense of self preservation and attracted danger more than should be possible for one human being. But he was also kind and open minded and genuinely seemed to enjoy traveling with a witcher, with him. And Geralt craved that camaraderie, missed the easy friendship he had had before the trials with the other boys, before every interaction with the last remaining witchers felt like a chore, the dark cloud of the fallen hanging over them.

Jaskier didn't seem to have similar problems, after making sure Geralt had settled down next to him and with a last glance to the glowing and still quietly chittering spirits, he closed his eyes. His breathing and heartbeat evened out within minutes. Geralt dared to look at him in the knowledge nobody would ever tell what his expression looked like, mapping out the still surprisingly youthful face even a few years after they had met glowing in the green light of the spirits, the long eyelashes framing those usually so active and curious blue eyes, the arch of his mouth that never stopped talking. He licked his own lips and tried to burn this moment into his memory, for he would never have more than this. Traveling with a witcher and bedding one were two very different things and he wouldn't risk the easy trust Jaskier showed him for such an ultimately unimportant desire. 

The bard in question had started to mumble in his sleep, song lyrics escaping his mouth even while unconscious and Geralt knew he must look entirely smitten with a dopey smile in his face. Jaskier turned around and grabbed his arm, snuggling closer until his head was lying on the witcher's shoulder, mumbling his name in his sleep. Geralt felt his chest tighten and a warmth bubbling through it that he shouldn't allow to exist but he wasn't hurting anyone but himself by indulging in this. 

Jaskier's head snuggled even closer and the bard made some sounds of discomfort, trying to find a better angle, arm scooting over the witcher's chest. He could feel his pulse even through their layers of clothes.  
With a small huff, Geralt slung his arm around the warm boneless body, allowing Jaskier to shuffle closer and seek out his warmth in his sleep. When the bard bedded his head on his chest, he could have heard the witcher's slow heartbeat pick up its pace, had he been awake. Geralt tensed for a moment, hoping Jaskier wouldn't startle waking up half on top of him but the human looked so content in this position he couldn't bear to shove him away. Warm and pliant, utterly trusting, Jaskier took a deep breath and smiled in his sleep, nosing at Geralt's neck while a leg entwined with his own. 

In the end the sounds of even breathing on his chest, tingling on his skin even through his shirt, the feeling of a heartbeat not his own pumping so steadily next to his and the warmth radiating from a body that smelled like honey and pine, without a trace of sour fear or disgust, lulled Geralt to sleep as well. 

He woke up to bright blue eyes looking up at him with a big smile on his face. Jaskier was still lying half on top of him and showed no intention to move. "Good morning." the bard whispered almost reverently with red cheeks and sleep mussed hair and Geralt had the sudden wish to wake up like this every morning until one of them died but pushed that dream away as fast as he could.  
Jaskier's eyes tingled with mirth and Geralt made a questioning noise. "We had visitors during the night." the bard laughed and gestured around him. 

Turning his head, unwilling to move and dispel whatever made Jaskier keep so close, Geralt looked around and saw them lying in a circle of leaves, sticks, acorns and berries. His breath almost hitched in his chest, how could he not have noticed this, but then it explained him falling asleep in the first place. The little beings had more magic than people usually thought. 

"What does this mean?" Jaskier asked his collarbone, mouth so close Geralt felt the bard's breath caress his skin. Stomping down the desire to have soft lips touch that spot as well, Geralt murmured, "It's a blessing." he bit his tongue before he could say more but of course Jaskier noticed. "A blessing for what?" Brown hair tickled the skin on his neck as Jaskier still refused to put more space between them.  
Geralt grit his teeth and hoped his face would look bored and not elated at the contact. 

"For fertility." he spat out, sure Jaskier would jump up now, realizing what they looked like, how they were touching. Instead the bard laughed, a deep belly laugh that vibrated in Geralt's chest, and let his head fall down on the shoulder under him again. "Did they… Are they thinking we were coupling?" he gasped, trying to get his breath under control while still chuckling. Geralt nodded, "Must have seen us. Shouldn't have fallen asleep, especially not like this." he managed to say and tried to get out under the human still lying on top of him like a warm blanket. 

The blue eyes that searched his own dimmed, "Yes, yes, of course. We shouldn't have, it's my fault, no really, sorry for invading your space. I should have better… " Jaskier scrambled up, suddenly quiet and looked at him with wide eyes. Geralt could smell the sour tint of fear on him. So that's what it had taken, a night in the arms of a monster. He felt a sudden stab in his chest but didn't say a word, hunching his shoulders while he expected the next blow, the bard telling him they should post ways.  
However something must have shown on his face, "Geralt? Did you want - did you mind us sleeping like this?" Jaskier asked, suddenly sounding hopeful, but no, he must imagine that, projecting his own feelings on the human, why would Jaskier want him to be close, that was ridiculous.

But he couldn't lie to his bard, wouldn't break the tentative trust between them by lashing out or telling him lies to protect himself. With his head held low, avoiding to look at the bright blue eyes usually so full of hope and kindness, he murmured, "Didn't mind it, was comfortable."

"Oh darling," Jaskier beamed and suddenly two arms wrapped around his neck, the bard's face just inches apart from his own. "would you mind terribly if I used this figment of a dream, for surely I'm still asleep, and kissed you before I wake up and learn nothing of this ever happened?" Lost for words, Geralt nodded and before his head even stopped moving, warm lips tasting of honey and spice met his. A feeling like a magical current ran through his veins as a wet tongue lapped at his lower lip, asking for entrance that he easily granted.  
The kiss lasted for some time and when Jaskier had to take a breath, he pulled Geralt's head close, embracing him to his chest. Gentle hand carded through his hair, untangling knots and caressing his scalp. Geralt shuddered under such gentle ministrations. 

He didn't know how long they stayed like this, breathing together and just touching, the forest was quiet and the spirits still chittered in the background. When a bug crawled over Jaskier's arm, he screeched and Geralt flinched at the noise so close to his head. With an ungraceful flapping gesture the bard got rid of the offending bug and Geralt couldn't help but laugh at his face. 

Jaskier looked at him, looked around them and his eyes widened, "Not a dream then?" Geralt shook his head, "And you just kissed me? Willingly? Without magical influence?" Geralt nodded, again lost for words and tense how the bard would react. Jaskier's mouth opened and closed a few times without a sound coming out and his whole upper body flushed brought red. He seemed to fight with himself, some inner turmoil, surely debating with himself how to lessen the blow when he finally left Geralt for good. 

But Geralt should have never doubted this strange human, for just moments later soft lips met his own again and he was basically tackled back to their bedroll.  
"Oh darling, we shouldn't disappoint our little watcher by giving them just a tiny kiss for a show then. After all the trouble they went through." the cheeky human winked ridiculously at him and Geralt snorted, an unguarded and inelegant sound but Jaskier beamed at him and nibbled at his neck. "Menace." Geralt muttered but held him close, cupping his head in his hand. "You love it." Jaskier muttered and Geralt hummed in affirmation but didn't answer, for this was a discussion they would have at a later time. Instead he indulged in another kiss and embraced Jaskier pulling him close to his chest. His brain was traitorously telling him that maybe this wouldn't be the last embrace they shared.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[PODFIC] Sticks and Stones - Sternenstaub](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28814052) by [LenaReads (LenaLawlipop)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LenaLawlipop/pseuds/LenaReads)




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